NBCU’s Susan Rovner exits as Donna Langley handed TV remit amid exec overhaul

NBCUniversal (NBCU) entertainment chief Susan Rovner is leaving the company following an overhaul of its senior exec ranks by Comcast chief Mike Cavanagh.

Rovner, who joined from Warner Bros. in 2020, was chairman of entertainment for NBCU’s TV and streaming division but is handing her remit to Donna Langley.

Langley was previously chairman of Universal Filmed Entertainment Group but will now oversee all of the company’s entertainment divisions, which are being housed under the newly created moniker NBCU Studio Group.

Susan Rovner

She becomes chairman and chief content officer, retaining oversight of Universal Filmed Entertainment Group, which includes Universal Pictures, Focus Features and DreamWorks Animation, as well as Universal Studio Group.

The latter houses Universal Television, Universal Content Productions, Universal Television Alternative Studios and Universal International Studios.

Lazarus, Conde & Berwick rejig

The overhaul has also handed new roles to Mark Lazarus, Cesar Conde and Frances Berwick.

Lazarus, who had been chairman of NBCU TV & streaming, is now chairman of the newly created NBCU Media Group with a remit across TV, streaming, distribution and monetisation.

Conde retains oversight of NBCU News Group but is also adding Telemundo Enterprises and NBCU Local to his remit, while Berwick becomes chairman of NBCU Entertainment, reporting into Lazarus and Langley.

She will continue to lead NBCU’s linear entertainment networks but adds original programming for its free and pay channels, as well as streamer Peacock.

Pearlena Igbokwe, chairman of Universal Studio Group, retains her remit across Universal TV, Universal Content Productions, Universal Television Alternative Studios and Universal International Studios.

Cavanagh, who took over at Comcast earlier this year after Jeff Shell departed following an investigation into sexual harassment, leads NBCU but confirmed in a note to staff that a separate CEO would not be appointed.

Instead, the quartet of Langley, Lazarus, Conde and parks chief Mark Woodbury will work across NBCU’s operations alongside Comcast Corp EVP Kimberley Harris, corporate strategy EVP & NBCU CFO Anand Kini, NBCU’s comms & HR EVP Adam Miller and diversity boss Craig Robinson.

Cavanagh said the overhaul would create a “streamlined decision-making process and foster even more collaboration”.